How To Revamp Your Lawn: Tips On Reseeding
If your lawn is looking a little lacklustre this spring, you may want to give it a little TLC. It’s normal for lawns to get a little sparse as they age, or develop some bare patches over time. Lawns that get lots of foot traffic from kids, pets, and adults can also take a beating. If you’ve been using your backyard as a gym lately, it might be looking a little worse for the wear!
Even if you did some fall lawn maintenance, your lawn might still be struggling around now. You can fix dead patches here and there, but if your whole yard is in rough shape, it might be time to learn how to reseed.
There are two ways you can reseed your lawn. The first method involves killing back all of your existing grass, usually by covering it with black plastic sheeting for 2-3 months. Then you can strip off the dead grass, level and grade the ground, add several inches of fresh soil, and seed some new grass on top. However, that process takes a long time and it also kills everything in the soil, including beneficial organisms and roots from other plants.
The second method allows you to work with whatever grass you’ve got and improve it overall. You’ll need a few supplies to reseed your lawn:
- Leaf rake
- Garden rake
- Quality soil or compost (enough to cover the area 2-3 inches deep)
- Soil and sand for filling & levelling holes
- Cool-season grass seed (measure your space so you know how much to get)
- Sprinkler
5 Steps for Reseeding Your Lawn
- Dethatch your lawn first. If your yard is small, you can do this manually with a garden rake. If the area is quite large, you may want to get a dethatching blade for your lawnmower or rent a dethatching machine.
- Fill in any holes, dips, or low spots on your lawn with a mixture of half soil and half sand. This will allow the grass roots to penetrate the soil and grow quickly. Make sure to pack the soil well and mound it about an inch taller than the surrounding area. Over the summer, it will settle a bit and should level with the rest of your yard.
- Spread 2-3 inches of good quality compost or gardening soil across your whole lawn with your leaf rake.
- Seed your warm-season grass according to the directions on the package. Use a grass seed spreader to ensure even application of seed across the whole area. Spread a light layer of good-quality compost over the seeded area and water the entire area lightly.
- Water your new lawn twice per day, unless it’s going to rain. Continue to keep the area moist until your new grass is 3-4 inches tall.
Your refreshed lawn will need a little bit of extra TLC in its first growing season, and with everyone social distancing right now, this is the perfect chance to get that lush lawn you’ve always dreamed of!
Once your lawn is about 4 inches tall, it’ll be ready for regular lawn care. Until then, avoid walking on the new lawn. Once your lawn has reached 4 inches tall, you can start to mow it, reduce your watering frequency, and begin fertilizing. The first time you mow your new lawn, make sure the blade is nice and sharp and set the lawnmower deck quite high. You don’t want to remove more than about 1 inch from the top of your new grass.
If you need a few tools, soil, or the right grass seed for Powell River, give us a call at our garden center. You’re welcome to stop by to pick up supplies while respecting social distancing guidelines. Or, if you prefer, we can get all your lawn reseeding supplies ready for curbside pickup or delivery within the Powell River area.
